Tire-opening machine



April 14, 1925;

1,533,990 W. C.'HOUGH TIRE OPENING MACHINE Filed Aug 4, '1920 2 Sheets-Sheet l \nventor WiHiQm C. Hugh April 14, 1925.

WiHiurn C.Hou

gh m by f Patented Apr. 14, 1925,

UNITED swxrrz s A 1,533,990 PATENT. orrlcu.

.WILLIAM G. HOUGH, OF CUYAHOGA- FALLS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO TIIE FIRESTONE TIRE AND RUBBER COMPANY, OF AKRON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

TIRE-OPENING MACHINE.

Application filed August 4, 1920. Serial No. 401,181.

' To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM C. HoUeH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cuyahoga Falls. in the county oil Summit and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tire- Opening Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a machine for the purpose of'opening tires so that the inner tubes may be inserted in assembling the tire and tube for shipment. The machine is designed for use in spreading the beads of large size pneumatic tires so that the tubes may be readily and easily inserted;

In the drawings accompanying this application is shown one form of the machine, it being obvious that theprecise details are nonessential andmay be varied ,withoutdeparting from the invention herein disclosed. a Fig. 1 is a vertical central section through V the machine.

Fig.- 2 is a plan. 1

Fig. '3' is a detail view of the clutch disengaging element. I

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the base or foundation of the machine, from which rise standards 2, supporting a table or platform 3, on which the tire is laid. On the baseis supported a motor a-having a pinion5 which engages with a gear 6 secured to a shaft 7 mounted in standards '8, centrally of the base.

rranged about the basel at a suitable number of points, preferably four. in number, are hearings or standards 9, on which are pivotally mounted-arms or levers 10, the

upper ends of which are received in slots- 11 in'the table 3, and are formed with hooks I 12 designed to enter the space between the beads of the tire 13. I Y The inner side of gear 6 is provided with a clutch face 14,-and the opposite end of the shaft 7 carries a clutch member 15.

' carrying spanner arms 18 received over pins The shaft isdesigned to be shifted by a lever 16, secured to a rockingshaft 17 and 19 on ring 22 carried by the clutch 15. On

either'side of standaird 8 are arranlgegeop-i gears eac 111g positely facing .beve provided with aclutch surface 121 .to en:

gage clutch surfaces 14: and 15 depending upon which direction. theshaft '7 isgto be tical shaft 24:, stepped in the bearing or standard 8, and guided at the upper end in a socket 25 located centrally of table 3.

The shaft 24' is screw-threaded and engages a nut or sleeve 26 on which is supported a spider 27 having a number of arms equal to the levers 10. I On each lever 10 is slidably received a sleeve 28, having integrally formed there- 1 with an arm 29, which extends outwardly .5

and, upwardly until above the top ofthe table, slots 30 being provided to receive the' ends of the several arms.- Each sleeve carries pins 31 received in slots 32 formed in the outer ends of the arms 27. the slots being of sufficient width to permit rocking of the.

arms 10 about their pivots. v I On the upper ends of arms 29 are pivoted curved arms 33, the outer ends of which are bent downwardly and formed with hooks 34 which rest on the hooks 12 between the beads of the tire. The arm 33 may be swung upwardly when it v is desired to place or remove the tire.

To the shaft 17 is secured a lever 35, one end of which is connected to a link 36, and

extends toward one of the members 10. The other end of the link passes through a bearing 37 formed as a part of .collar 38 Fecured on the member 10 at about the lowermost point of descent of sleeve 28. The

object of this arrangement is to insure the withdrawal of the clutch drive upon downward descent of the spider 27. When it is desired to operate the machine,

the arm'sj,33 are thrown backlandlthe tire placed in position,tthe arms 10 beingmoved inwardly, if'necessary. The swingingarms are now brought down and the. hooks introduced between the beads? of the tire. The

lever16 is thenfoperated-tothrow the proper clutch into engagement and the screw elevatesthe upper set of hooks open-. ing the tire to the desired extent. 1 After the tube is inserted, the mechanism is reversed and the tire casing closed."

It is obvious thatthe invention herein described is not limited in form or detail to that shown, but may be changed or modified within the scope of the invention.

I claim:

' A machine for opening tire casings, having in combination, a table to support the tire casing, a setv of arms arranged in a. circleand extending through the table, means on the ends of said arm to engage one head of the tire casing, sleeves slidably. mounted on the said arms. .A spider located within the arms the spokes of the spider being pivotallv connected at their outer ends to the said sleeves. A screw threaded shaftextending through the hub of the spider, a gear upon the lower end of thesaid shaft, a horizontal shaft beneath, gears freely mounted upon the drive shaft and adapted to mesh with said first named gear, manually operated means forconn'ecting and disconnecting each of the said beveled gears with the drive shaft to elevate and lower the said spider, a second set of arms extending from the sleeve and encircling the'table, and means on the ends of said last named arms to engage the other head of the tire casing.

WILLIAM O. HOUGH. 

